


Chemical Reaction

by KayJayComicArt



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst and Romance, Black Clover Week, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/F, Romance, Slow Romance, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:28:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25096102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayJayComicArt/pseuds/KayJayComicArt
Summary: The Flurris family had but one daughter. Lucia Flurris, a young, promising woman with a unique magical attribute, but wavering control of her overwhelming strength. Though she dreams to be a great Magic Knight that can protect the children of the Clover Kingdom, many factors seem to get in her way. One of which happens to be the Uncrowned, Undefeated Lioness herself. MereoxOC.
Relationships: Mereoleona Vermillion & Original Character(s), Mereoleona Vermillion/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	1. Lady Lucia Flurris

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I do not own the Black Clover Franchise or any canon characters mentioned below.
> 
> I do own Lucia Flurris, and any other OCs mentioned.
> 
> WARNING: This story will contain death, violent, blood/gore, angst, loss, trauma and mentions of sexual themes.

In the Clover Kingdom, magic was the do-all and end-all of many lives. Each person contained a certain level of magic power, and the air was filled with mana, which, when utilized expertly, could turn the tides of any situation to the user's favor. For many youths of said kingdom, March was a very significant month, and due to that, many teenagers rushed from their homes at the early hours of the morning and flew off on their broomsticks towards the Royal Capital; the most famous city in all of the Clover Kingdom.

One of these eager magicians in the making, was a woman who lived in the bustling city of Raquey, a community on the edge of the land, with brilliant beaches and a strong magic region just to the east of their well-known shores. Her name was Lady Lucia Flurris, the eldest daughter of the Flurris family. Though their status was not high in regards to other nobles within the city, they were praised for their strong magic capabilities and wisdom throughout the land.

Of course, every generation of the family had their differences, and it seemed Lucia was just a little more different than most. Despite the hustle and bustle of the many younger mages rushing out their doors to mount their broomsticks and set off for the capital, Lucia herself had done nothing to prepare for the day. In fact, she was bundled up in bed with her face buried in her pillow, only a small sliver of light peeking through the closed curtains, no where near enough to rouse her from sleep and help her realize just what kind of foolishness she had found herself in.

That was, until a man, about twenty-one in age, only three years older than herself, rushed into the room. "Oh dear, this isn't good, not good at all..." He muttered beneath his breath as he tugged at the tie in his dark brown hair, then pushed his glasses up his nose as he reached her closed curtains. Without really giving Lucia time to stir, or even so much as roll over, he tugged the cloth barriers open and the bright, hot sunlight flooded through Lucia's large room, illuminating every neat surface and almost blinding the poor young woman in the process.

With a groan, Lucia opened an eye and immediately hid herself within her covers when she was met with blinding light and the silhouette of the man she knew very well, someone she had grown up with throughout her life, and her cared for her from a very young age. "Piercely, what's the meaning of this?" She croaked out, sitting up as she covered her face with her hands, wiping away the remnants of sleep clinging to her consciousness.

"My apologies, Lady Lucia." Piercely said, bowing his torso with a hand on his chest, the gold frames on the bridge of his nose slipping down slightly from the action. "Pardon my rude entrance, however considering the significance of today, I suspected any form of being woken up would be appreciated."

Lucia's thin lilac brows knitted together as she tried to understand his words. However, after only a second, her features smoothed over as blank shock washed through her body. "Piercely, what day is it?"

The poor butler tried not to shift nervously where he stood. "Th-the third of March."

He only had a second to cover his eyes with his hands, effectively bruising his own face with his glasses in the process as he slammed his hand against them with the sudden motion. Lucia had given him no warning as she let out a silent hiss and tossed the sheets off her bed, revealing her light blue night shirt.

"Oh _wonderful_!" Lucia ground out as she yanked her closet open and sifted through the outfits she had hanging inside. "The one day I wanted to be up at the crack of dawn, and I somehow rest for far too long despite my rather strict sleep schedule!"

"It's understandable to fall into such a deep sleep after the day you had yesterday, Lady Lucia." Piercely started, blindly feeling his way through the room until he found the door he had previously entered from. "I'll get a maid to come in and assist you with your attire, if you'll excuse me."

Lucia managed a humming noise of approval and waved her hand at him rudely. However, Piercely did not see that due to his covered eyes and left at her grunt. Once he was out of the room, the young adult found the outfit she was looking for and quickly tossed it on the bed, yanking her night shirt over her head before the fresh garments even hit the sheets.

After a second of fumbling, the door opened and a maid rushed in, greeting Lucia in a flustered breath before the two got to work dressing her for the day. After many struggles, a lot of demands, several apologies and overly tightened laces, Lucia stood before a large mirror, admiring her appearance as the maid went about adjusting the final details of her clothing, whether it was tucking in a bit of shirt that had not been tackled yet, or securing her pants by tightening her belt.

Once the two let out a breath and stepped back, Lucia took a true note of her appearance. The outfit she had opted to wear was a simple beige shirt and brown formal pants that hid the fluffy edges of her brown snow boots from view. On her hands were matching brown gloves with the same fur lining and around her neck was a bronze and black mask with an attached set of goggles. Overall, the woman with her lilac hair, burnt orange eyes and rather notable scar covering the right side of her face felt pretty confident that she was ready to tackle the events of the day to come.

Lucia turned to the maid who quickly bowed her torso with her hands linked in front of her. "Y-you look wonderful, Lady Lucia! I'm sure your parents will say the same!"

The noble woman let a tiny smile cross her features and huffed out a sound of amusement, before she sauntered over to her bedroom door, opening it, only to falter in her first step when she almost walked into Piercely stood on the other side, a basket in one hand, while the other was raised to knock on the wooden surface leading to her private chambers. "Ah." He stated simply, blushing with embarrassment as he held out the basket for her. "I assumed you'd be leaving immediately and prepared a quick breakfast for your trip, lest you forget to eat."

"Ah yes, thank you Piercely." Lucia said, taking the basket and peeking inside, a fresh, sweet, pastry, a sealed bottle of orange juice, and several pieces of fruit resided inside; all of which were her favorite, even when she was not in a rush. "I'll need all the energy I can get for my initiation."

"Your parents are waiting for you in the dining room, though Lord Flurris has asked that I hurry you along to meet them, he too doesn't want you to be late on your first day."

The icy woman, who had shown very little emotion to those around her even now, let her expressionless act slip into a grimace at the thought of her father's words. He and she were alike in one sense, they were both cold, blunt and straightforward. She knew once she was in his line of sight, he would scold her heavily for oversleeping during this important event. "Ah yes, I best make haste." She started, walking with a brisk pace towards the winding spiral staircase leading to the main dining room. "Father isn't one for tardiness, especially today of all days."

Piercely was heard jogging up behind her, before he matched her speed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Might I say, on behalf of the staff, Lady Lucia, that you'll be sorely missed after your departure."

This caused the cold woman to falter and turn around, arching a brow as the man blushed again, he was the shy one of the two of them, so her icy gaze never really stopped startling him. When she said nothing, he cleared his throat and continued, hands linked behind his back professionally. "Though we are beneath you in our status as common staff, we're just as proud of you as your parents are. Your presence was always a comfort, and it will be missed dearly by everyone once you leave."

Lucia's hard features finally softened and she let out a sigh, smiling slightly as she opened up just a little bit. "How many years have we known each other, Piercely?"

"Since you were just learning to walk, Lady Lucia."

"Then you know as well as I do that I won't be gone forever, I will return as often as I can, not just for my parents, but for my siblings, and you as well. You're more than my butler, you've been my friend since before I can remember."

Piercely immediately snapped his gaze to her's, surprised by her soft sentiment, before he too smiled and bowed his chest, one hand on his collarbone while the other remained behind his back. "Then allow me to wish you the best of luck, and...As your friend, and not your butler, ask that you take care and avoid injury during the many duties that will be assigned to you."

"Thank you, Piercely." Lucia nodded, turning and descending the stairs as the man followed behind. "I will make sure that I do not fall under the thumb of an enemy...After all, I want to see my younger brother and sister grow up, and I can't do that in the face of death."

"Quite right." Piercely increased his momentum and stopped in front of the door before Lucia reached it, opening the large intricate wooden barrier to reveal a luxurious dining room where the four other family occupants resided, along with a handful of servants catering to them. Lucia's mother and father, Gracia and Wintre Flurris, were sat on one side enjoying a fruitful breakfast and coffee, while Hailan and Hailia Flurris; the newborn twins, and Lucia's younger siblings, sat in their high chairs on the other side, making a fuss and refusing to eat as many of the servants surrounded them and attempted to calm their tantrums.

Upon seeing her family, that cold facade she held melted away completely and she walked over to her baby brother and sister, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads. "Morning, young ones~." She sang soothingly, her warm heart almost exploding when they giggled and almost immediately calmed down enough to be fed. Lucia then turned to her parents and her mother choked out a sob, standing and tackling the poor young woman in a hug.

"Oh, to think you would follow in our footsteps, after all." Gracia cried, stepping back and wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "You've made this old woman proud."

"Mother...!" Lucia started, about to protest over the 'old' comment, when her father cleared his throat and she straightened up almost instantly. The tall, bearded man stood from his chair and stormed over to them, looming over them with a height neither she, nor her siblings would inherit. His burnt orange eyes glared daggers into her own fearful ones as he assessed her form.

After a second of silence, he yanked her into a tight bear-hug, almost crushing the young woman in the process. "F-father!" She started, grunting as she flailed her arms for a moment, then gave into her fate, wrapping them as far around him as she could, hiding her face in his shoulder as the weight of her departure started to weight heavily upon her.

If her father was hugging her as his goodbye, she knew it meant she was finally leaving the safety of their arms and making her own way in the world. This realization, and the knowledge that she would not see her siblings grow up day-by-day hurt her more than any spell could.

"Do your family proud. I know you have it in you..." Wintre stated strongly, before pulling away, his eyes glassy with unshed tears, despite his cold expression.

Lucia cleared her throat and slammed her hand into her chest with three fingers pointing to the side, the Clover Kingdom's honorable salute. "Yes, sir!"

"Now go, you're already late to leave, I don't want you late to your initiation as well."

With a nod, the lilac-haired noble looked at her younger siblings, then her parents, then Piercely before gritting her teeth behind closed lips and turning to leave at long last. She hastily made her way down the halls and out of the front double doors into the blinding sunlight she had tried so hard to avoid only half an hour prior.

She lifted her hand to her forehead to block out some of the beams and spotted many other young mages, most younger than herself, flying overhead on their brooms towards a large castle in the distance, the center-piece of the Royal Capital, the Clover Castle. With a deep breath, Lucia grabbed her well-kept broom and tied the ribbon of the basket to the wooden shaft right near its tied on bristles, where one or two other bags had been secured by Piercely and the other servants. After that, she settled down, as if riding side-saddle on a horse, and lifted off into the air and at high speeds towards her destination, the same one as the many others flying before her.

The reason for her travel, the sorrowful goodbyes and the frantic rushing on her end? That day happened to be the first day of the rest of her life. The day prior, she had taken part in the Magic Knights Entrance Exam and had been accepted into the Magic Knight squad known as the Gray Deer lead by Julius Novachronos, the esteemed captain in charge of her peers. Now she was on her way to the Royal Capital to meet said captain, along with the other rookies who had passed the exams with flying colors, to be initiated into the Gray Deer squad and collect her Magic Knights robe, the symbol of her new role as a protector of the Clover Kingdom.

Her heart soared with excitement, though her face remained expressionless, and she slipped a grape from the basket on the end of her broom, popping it in her mouth as she eagerly watched the castle grow closer. Despite the trip being relatively short, she could not help but let her mind wander back to the events of the exam and the final hurdle she faced.

_Lucia stood on the opposite side of a vast arena within a large Colosseum. Surrounding her and her opponent were many other young mages, all watching with bated breath as the esteemed daughter of the Flurris Family took on another noble of a higher status, who had done nothing but mock her since he had sought her out for their battle. While he was laughing and taunting, she merely stood there, glaring daggers into him without a word, not falling for his many sharp, yet petty comments._

_On the stands above them, the Magic Knight captains sat, watching over their battles, assessing and evaluating their performances to choose whether they would accept them into their squad or not. Only those of a noble status were granted the ability to become good Magic Knights, therefore most, if not all of the mages trying out that day were of a noble status. However, due to one captain; Julius Novachronos, several common folk from the forbidden realm were also allowed to try out, though they were disadvantaged by the stigma they faced being those born with weaker magic._

_Everyone hushed as the knight who played referee to their battle stepped forward. "We're ready for the final bout!" He stated, raising his hand, palm forward. "Let's go!" He then dropped said hand quickly, and both sides began the battle, raising their magical tomes, known as Grimoires from their holsters and opening them up to their designated pages._

_Lucia was faster than the younger opponent though, tossing the book into the air, where it floated within a veil of magical power while she thrust her hand outwards towards her enemy. "Dry-Ice Magic: Shard Barrage!" Suddenly, just as those words left her lips, the earth beneath them rumbled, and the noble, shocked by the sudden tremors, watched as large daggers of frigid ice shot out from the ground towards him._

_However, the mage in charge of this spell, let out a cry as one of those same shards pierced her outstretched arm, and she was forced to stop the attack just before it could hit, since her enemy had froze in his fear. She stood there, taking deep breaths as she held her arm, the gaping wound already sealed by the ice burns her magic caused. This blunder on her part caused the Magic Knight captains to mutter among themselves, wondering if she was truly Wintre Flurris' daughter, as he had impeccable control of his magic, despite its well-known unpredictable nature._

_"...Ha..." The opponent weakly huffed out, looking at the destructive crevices left by the ice, then the woman's wound. "Ha ha ha!" He held his stomach as he fell into a fit of mocking laughter, pointing at her while others began to join in. "_ _**You** _ _are the esteemed daughter of the Flurris family? Don't make me laugh!"_

_Lucia gritted her teeth, her cold outer shell only cracking to reveal her anger beneath the surface. She remembered how her father had trained her specifically for this chance, how she had spent many months honing her skills so she could get to this point. She was not about to let some arrogant little insect take that away from her._

_The noble flicked open his book and smirked, pushing his hair away from his face. "I should put you out of your misery, you're nothing but a blight to your family name, I wouldn't want their reputation tarnished because you're nothing more than a defect."_

_Those words caused something inside her to snap, and she ground out a snarl, crouching down as a well-executed lighting attack was sent her way. However, without really thinking too hard about it, the Grimoire at her side glowed and a new spell was revealed to her. "Dry-Ice Creation Magic!" She started, slamming her hands on the ground, dodging the bolt of electrically charged mana in the process. "Suffocating Stronghold!"_

_Suddenly, the ground shook again and instead of the spires the higher ranking noble had seen prior, he was surprised when four walls emerged one at a time, then a fifth wall seemed to grow from the front one, sealing him within a box of pure, hardened ice. Lucia crouched there, breathing heavily, as this new spell was a little more strenuous than she was used to._

_"I..." The young noble woman ground out, standing up as her enemy cried out, having touched the walls of the ice, burning his hands in the process. "Am no mere shadow of my father..." She lifted her head and looked down her nose at the almost impenetrable container. "My name is Lucia Flurris, and yes, while I may be the daughter of Wintre Flurris...My strength is_ _**mine** _ _alone!"_

_Silence passed for a second, and once the complaints from the box subsided, Lucia relaxed and waved the spell away. Slowly, the walls of the ice crumbled and dissipated in the air, leaving a gaseous cloud behind, which caused many to cough and cover their mouths to avoid the toxic fumes. Once the open Colosseum cleared up, the referee went over to the unconscious man and crouched down, checking his pulse._

_Once a pulse was found, the ref raised his hand and gestured to Lucia. "The winner is Lucia Flurris!"_

_Slowly, clapping could be heard from within the crowd of people around her, before cheers erupted from nearly everyone, especially those of a lower status than her own. Lucia looked towards the captains, and unlike most who seemed genuinely terrified of their strength, she met each of their gazes with a cold, hard glare. No words had to be spoken for them to know how deep her resolve ran._

_This girl, despite her weakened control, would be valuable to any one of them with the right amount of training. Though she would be seen as weak by many of those within whichever squad accepted her. Julius watched her walk away and back into the crowd of people, where she was praised, despite her lack of a reaction to her victory._

_She was definitely_ _**not** _ _her father._

Lucia broke away from her memory as she heard many of the other mages cheering as they finally flew over the wall of the Royal Capital, officially entering the place where their dreams would become a reality. She let a small smile cross her lips as she flew towards the headquarters of her own Magic Knight squad, the only one willing to give her a chance despite her lack of control.

The headquarters of the Gray Deer, lead by Captain Julius Novachronos, hailed as the captain closest to becoming the next Wizard King.

Lucia descended before the stairs leading up to the grand entrance of the large mansion used to house and operate the squad. She settled her feet on the stone pavement and got off her broom, looking up at the building with the same steel resolve she had shown the captains the day prior. Though, the moment was broken when suddenly, she was tackled from behind, stumbling forward with a startled cry as someone rushed past her.

"Ah damn! Sorry 'bout that!" The male voice called out, footsteps heard as Lucia looked up to see a shock of spiky bronze tinted hair dart out of sight, before she could even vocalize her disgust and anger towards his rude actions.

"Tch..." Lucia sneered, straightening up and dusting off her beige shirt. "Filthy commoner..." She took a deep breath and started the ascension into the Gray Deer headquarters. Today, was the day she started her life, and the day she would learn just what it meant to be a Magic Knight.

Whether she was ready for that honor or not...had yet to be determined.


	2. The First Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucia meets her squad mates, and makes a less than friendly impression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I do not own the Black Clover Franchise or any canon characters mentioned below.
> 
> I do own Lucia Flurris, and any other OCs mentioned.
> 
> WARNING: This story will contain death, violent, blood/gore, angst, loss, trauma and mentions of sexual themes.
> 
> Hey guys, God I'm so nervous about this chapter. Lucia is supposed to come off as a little...well, mean, in this one, and I know it might cause a few of you to hate her.
> 
> Give her a chance ok?
> 
> Enjoy!

Lucia would never admit to anyone that she was nervous, not even her parents.

As she climbed the steps and entered the grand halls of the Grey Deer headquarters, she could feel her own potential as a Magic Knight being outshone by those she would call her superiors. Not only that, but she had delayed her training by three years and was only just beginning her journey at eighteen rather than at fifteen, as most people in the Clover Kingdom would. Because of this, she dreaded to imagine that her superiors would even be younger than she was, and far more skilled.

However, she would never show these fears to anyone, not even her newfound captain, Julius Novachronos. She was hailed, even by her friends, as the coldest woman of the Flurris family. She felt more comfortable keeping others at a distance, and wouldn't think twice of showing this same frigid exterior to her superiors, not many got to see the weaknesses she held, and she preferred to keep it that way. Her pride, her status and her family's well-being, depended on it.

Another large staircase started to loom over her and she looked up to where there was a platform separating one staircase from another. On that platform stood her captain and several other Magic Knights, including the brute who had ran into her outside. Without letting her mild irritation show, she finished her climb and slammed her hand against her chest with three fingers pointing to her left, saluting her new leader. "Lucia Flurris reporting for duty!" She stated strongly, her orange eyes sharp and almost burning with her resolve to do her best.

Julius laughed when as she boldly introduced herself. "Welcome to the Grey Deer headquarters, Lucia. My name is Julius Novachronos, captain of this humble squad and a friend to all those who vow their loyalty to our kingdom!" He soluted back, smiling at her warmly, relaxed enough to allow her to let her shoulders soften ever so slightly, but not enough to seem open to those around her. "When I saw your remarkable performance yesterday, I knew your talents would be best utilized in our group, after all, everyone here has magic that is rarely seen refined to such a high degree!"

"You flatter me, sir." Lucia said, lowering her arm and crossing them in front of her chest, as Julius did the same. "It is an honor to serve you, and all the people of the Clover Kingdom."

"I'm happy to hear that. Have you got everything you need for a prolonged stay in our dorms?"

The lilac-haired noble nodded her head and snapped her fingers, her broom, which had been left outside, floating in; her belongings all strapped on the back. "Of course. Once I was accepted into the squad, I was quick to pack and prepare. I wish to begin immediately, though, if you wish for me to settle into my new accommodations first, I will do so with haste."

"Ho, ho! Eager, are we?" Julius stroked his chin, then snapped his fingers, surprising Lucia when her broom floated around him and stopped in front of another member of the Grey Deer, a young man who seemed to follow Julius, almost like an attendant would. "Well your spirit is quite refreshing, I must say! And lucky for you, your room has yet to be prepared to an acceptable standard. My subordinate will take your things to your dorm while it is still being cleaned, and if you like, we can begin your introduction to the ways of a Magic Knight immediately."

Lucia nodded, lowering her arms to her sides, clenching her fists as she prepared for whatever her first task would be as a Magic Knight. "Yes, sir. I'm grateful you understand my desire to prove my worth."

"On the contrary, you're the fifth rookie knight I've spoken to today, and each one was sent on a mission before entering their dorms, it is a custom for members of this squad to 'prove their worth' before settling in. Though, I must admit, you proved it quite clearly during your performance yesterday." Julius cleared his throat and gestured to his right, where three young knights stood. One was a taller man with a heavy build, tanned skin and dark brown, curly hair. One was a thin, curvaceous woman with pale blue hair and dark skin, while the last was a young man with pale skin and uncontrollably long, spiky, bronze-tinted hair. "These three are Magic Knights much like yourself, however while you are a 5th Class Junior, they are 5th Class Intermediates, all with a year of experience in the field. These three will be your mentors during your patrol around the city, listen to their words, and trust their knowledge and power as you help them protect our people."

The large man waved meekly, barely meeting her gaze. "Roark..." He said, though his introduction was so quiet, Lucia barely heard him.

"It's nice to meet you, my name is Celeana~!" The young woman chimed in, her voice similar to the songs mermaids sing during peaceful sunsets.

"Heya!" The last one blurted out, grinning widely as he jumped forward and grabbed her hand, shaking it excitedly. "The name's Dante! I think I saw you outside, I thought you looked familiar!"

Lucia yanked her hand from his grip, much to his surprise and glared daggers at him while wiping her hand against her pant leg. "Yes, I remember you...You all but knocked me to the ground in your rush to enter the building."

Julius stepped forward and put his hand on Dante's shoulder, this made the young man step back, as Julius moved forward, continuing his explanations to their newest teammate. "Now, your patrol will last an hour at the very least, once you've been relieved of your duties, return to the headquarters and report to the next set of scouts...After that, you're free to do as you please until tomorrow."

Lucia nodded, saluting the strong captain once again. "Yes, sir. I'll ensure the safety of the people, even if it risks my life."

"Good, I'll hold you to those words."

The three younger, yet more experienced knights walked past Lucia and down the steps, stopping after a few to wait for her as she nodded and turned, following them as they continued until they left the building. Julius watched them as their backs were enveloped by the light of the outside world, and just as the doors closed, he hummed curiously. "The first-born daughter of the Flurris family, I wonder just how powerful her magic really is..."

Meanwhile, outside, Dante let out a groan as he stretched his arms out above his head and then linked his fingers behind his skull, looking up at the clear morning sky. "Hoo! It's always so stuffy and stale in there, I'm glad to be breathing in some fresh air!"

Roark nodded in response, and Celeana giggled, turning to walk backwards as she spoke to Lucia, who listened intently, though her face did not mimic their carefree attitudes, instead she seemed almost sickened by their presence. "So, our duty today is to patrol the city. We've got to walk through as many streets as we can and make sure no one's up to no good. If we see a theft in action, assault or even someone illegally using their magic on others, we need to intervene and aprehend the culprit and ensure the safety of the civilians involved. Make sense?"

Lucia nodded briskly as they reached the bottom of the outside steps and wandered into the heart of the city. Despite the beautiful scenery and the elegant charm of the capital, her eyes remained sharp and vigilant, no matter the situation and this caused a bit of tension to settle in the air around her and her mentors. "Uhhh, so what's your name?" Dante started, slowing down to walk at her side, noting that she was a little shorter than him, despite being older. Lucia's late start in the squad was common knowledge to almost everyone at this point.

"Lady Lucia Flurris, first-born daughter of Glacia and Wintre Flurris."

"Yeesh, you're a noble then?" He hummed and looked up at the sky once again. "Must be nice having such well-known parents, eh?"

"Yes." She did not even bother to look at him as she kept shooting out icy, barely polite responses. She was not the talkative type, especially to commoners, and just by the strength of their overall mana, she knew they were not of noble descent.

"So what kinda magic do you have?"

"Dry-Ice."

"Oh yeah, like your dad's? Is it strong? Sounds pretty cool!"

"Yes, it is."

Finally Dante huffed, sick of her 'holier-than-thou' attitude as she kept her gaze elsewhere and refused to exchange pleasantries with him. "What the hell's your problem? I ain't some sleaze that's trying to loot your Yule, you can talk to me, you know!"

Lucia found his sneer irritating and finally shot him a glare, her orange eyes alight with a warning, which he stubbornly ignored. "Do you really want to know?" She asked, arching a brow.

Dante glared back, pouting stubbornly as he crossed his arms. "Yes, what's up with you?!"

"Personally, I feel rather foolish being trained by three people who are not only my juniors in age, but also lesser than me on the social ladder. What business does a commoner like _you_ have in telling someone far superior than you what to do during a mission, hm?"

The young man with uncontrollable hair choked out a scoff and staggered back a little, now behind her as he struggled to keep up in his shock. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Exactly what I said, you are not my mentor, nor will I ever _consider_ you my mentor. I am merely doing as Captain Julius asked, nothing more, nothing less."

The tension in the group only became heavier with her words and the three intermediate knights shared uncomfortable looks, not happy to be disrespected so easily, but used to it, all the same. "Geez..." Dante piped up, linking his fingers behind his head as he quickened his pace, now walking ahead of her, near Roark and Celeana. "Talk about a cold attitude...Is your magic as frigid as your manners?"

"If you don't like how I speak, then you don't need to start a conversation with me. I'll do my work, you will do yours, and neither of us will have to suffer in the other's company."

"That's not how this _works_ , Flurris!" He snapped back, spinning around, causing everyone to stop walking as the frigid noble nearly bumped into the angry man before her. "It's my job to supervise you for today, whether you like it or not!"

Roark, despite being the quiet one in the group, stepped closer and put his hand on Dante's shoulder. "Hey..." He started, only to be shrugged off.

"Don't 'hey' me, Roark! She's asking for a lecture!"

Celeana laughed awkwardly and stepped closer to Lucia, waving her hand dismissively while the smile she portrayed seemed fake and very uncomfortable. "C'mon now, it's far too soon to be making enemies, isn't it?"

Lucia huffed and sneered at Celeana, stepping away from her. "I never asked for your opinion."

Celeana's awkward smile melted away with shock, and suddenly her expression hardened, almost terrifyingly so. "Now listen here-"

Suddenly, their argument was interrupted when a shriek was heard down a nearby alleyway, behind a jewelers venue. Before Lucia could even fathom what was happening, the three knights she deemed inferior leapt into action and rushed down the alleyway, leaving her behind as she processed what was taking place. After a second, she scrambled after them and rushed down the small road, cursing her delayed reaction as she neared the source of the screams.

Skidding around a corner, she all but froze at the sight that met her. Instead of the struggle she thought she would see, perhaps even proof of her comrades' inferior magic skills, she saw something no noble thought possible. Celeana was stood in the center of the small alley, a thief held high above her head in a prison of water, while Dante handed a woman her purse, smiling kindly as he did so, and Roark held down another thief with gauntlets made of pure stone.

Lucia was shocked to say the least. She never expected them to not only react as quickly as they did, but diffuse the situation before she even had a chance to enter the frey. However, instead of apologizing for her earlier words, like any decent person would, she simply huffed stubbornly as she walked towards them to help in whatever way she could.

She refused to be shown up by mere commoners, and vowed to improve her skills so that one day, she too would be able to jump into action without even a sliver of hesitation. She would not rest until she was strong, until she could prove to them that she was not all talk. And Lucia always kept her promises.

~CR~

Despite the short patrol, once the hour was over and Lucia was relieved of duty, she felt a sudden exhaustion wash over her. During the time between getting the thieves to the headquarters and being relieved for the day, several things had happened. She had witnessed yet another moment where her teammates rushed into action with her merely lagging behind, and had even stopped with them for a cup of tea, something they did quite often, apparently.

It was frustrating that on her first day she found herself doing nothing but watching as they proved time and time again that she was merely a rookie compared to them, and though it was a humbling moment, she continued to act like she was better than them in front of them. When in fact, deep down she resented their skills, their knowledge in the field.

With a sigh, she entered the room she was lead to and closed the door behind her, looking around at the relatively large bedroom that was assigned to her. It had grey walls and large black furniture, including a small blue couch beside a bookcase, a desk and a bed with soft, blue sheets. It was far smaller than her room at home, but it would be more than enough for her time spent at the headquarters.

The hardest part of the entire experience was not seeing her family every day.

Taking off her grey deer robe, she placed it on the hook on the back of the door before she went over to her belongings, stacked neatly in the corner with her broom. She rummaged through a bag until she found what she was looking for, a picture frame. With a smile, she took it and walked over to her bedside table, placing it down before settling onto the neatly made sheets.

"I made it, Hailan, Hailia..." She spoke softly, staring at the photograph of herself holding her two younger siblings on the day of their birth, wrapped in a nice blue and white frame. She saluted to the photograph, her smile warm compared to the cold and cruel frown she had shown earlier in the day. "And I promise I'll make you proud. You'll see...Your big sister will be the best Magic Knight in the Grey Deer squad, and its all thanks to the both of you."

She leaned back on her hands and looked up at the ceiling with a soft sigh. "I will become as strong...No, _stronger_ than Father, all so I can protect you and the children of the Clover Kingdom from any that wish you harm...That is my goal, and I will do whatever I can to make it a reality."

Though she gave her squad mates the worst first impression possible, there was a softer side to the icy noble beneath what she allowed others to see. However, only those who proved themselves important to her got to experience this. No matter her reasons, she held people at a distance, because she knew only the strongest and most deserving of humanity gained her respect.

Maybe in due time, her stance on a commoner's strength would change, however, right now, she refused to allow herself to dwell on such pointless things. She had her own work to do, and she would be damned if she failed before the first hurdle.

She was kind deep down, it just took her some time to let it show, whether or not they gained that right, well, only time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you thought in a review, I love hearing from you guys, and it always inspires me to improve!


	3. Bandits on the Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first day had came and went, but that didn't mean they got to relax. Lucia and her fellow rookies are sent on a serious mission despite it only being their second day on the job! How will our noble hero handle such a task?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I do not own the Black Clover Franchise or any canon characters mentioned below.
> 
> I do own Lucia Flurris, and any other OCs mentioned.
> 
> WARNING: This story will contain death, violent, blood/gore, angst, loss, trauma and mentions of sexual themes.
> 
> Hey guys, chapter 2 is done and ready to be enjoyed! It's a little short, but it's important for the next chapter!
> 
> Enjoy!

Though Lucia knew that she would have to get up bright and early for her Magic Knight duties, she had no idea it would be _this_ early!

The lilac noble let out a heavy yawn as she stepped out of her dorm room at five in the morning, wiping her eye as she locked the door behind her and tucked her keys into her pants pocket. She was used to getting up at seven, or eight if she was not feeling well, so getting out of bed had been a challenge, to say the least. However, now that she was up, she knew she had to get to work, and her first order of business was to meet Julius Novachronos at the headquarters entrance along with the other rookies. Though she had no idea why, perhaps he gave them their daily duties for the first few weeks? Honestly, this was all so new to her, she did not have a clue where to start.

Lucia took a deep breath, then opened her orange eyes to glare at the wooden surface of her door. Whatever he needed, she would openly accept the mission without hesitation, she would make a name for herself in this squad, even if it meant she was seen as some sort of stuck-up prick by the other squad members. Without another thought, she spun around and walked down the corridor, passing the other rookies as they exited their rooms with the same exhaustion she had displayed a moment prior.

After some traversing, she and the others found themselves on the main staircase at the front of the Gray Deer headquarters. In front of them stood Julius and the three commoner knights that had joined Lucia in her patrol the day prior. Despite the urgency of the meeting, their captain looked rather relaxed, smiling as he glanced at each of his newest members before opening out his arms. "Good morning, my fellow Magic Knights!" He spoke brightly, charming in his words and demeanor. "After your missions yesterday, your senior members spoke highly of your deeds and accomplishments, and I am very pleased with your work so far." He lowered his hands, tucking them beneath the long gray robe he adorned with the Gray Deer symbol stitched into the chest. "Because of your efforts, I come bearing another fruitful mission for you, however this won't be as easy as patrolling the Capital!"

The rookies muttered among themselves curiously while Lucia narrowed her eyes slightly, gripping her bicep as she crossed her arms and awaited her orders. She was relieved to finally have an excuse to show them what she was made of.

Julius cleared his throat behind his fist. "As you all know, the Clover Kingdom is split into three realms, the Forsaken Realm, the Common Realm and the Noble Realm! This mission will take you to Heicairo in the Common Realm, where the people living there have experienced countless bandit attacks leaving their town in disrepair. Several valuable items were taken from the locals, and as a result none of them feel safe without some form of security, so they requested the Magic Knights come to their aid." He glanced back at his trusted Intermediate mages. "As the most esteemed, and open-minded squad in the kingdom, I have accepted their pleas for help, which is where you come in." He raised his hand and gestured to his allies. "These three Intermediate Magic Knights will be your leaders during this mission, they have done many missions similar to this one, so if you're struggling on how to proceed, feel free to ask for their advice."

Roark, Celeana and Dante placed their hands against their chest, pointing three fingers to the side in a salute. Julius nodded at their respectful postures and turned back to the rookies. "Now, when you arrive in Heicairo, you're tasked with guarding the town until the bandits either leave the area completely, or re-emerge. If they do the latter, you are to apprehend them and bring them to justice back here at the capital. While they are brought to the capital, a few of you are to remain in Heicairo and aid in rebuilding their damaged homes so that the townsfolk can feel secure once again. After that, you will have successfully completed your mission and can return home for you reward!"

Lucia forced her features to remain blank, holding back the urge to grimace at the task they were handed. She hated the idea of protecting a few lowly commoners, However, her judgement soon waned when she remembered that those commoners had families and children. She knew her goal was to protect the younger generation with everything she had, therefore she saw fit to see this mission as her highest priority, no matter the status of those she had to protect.

Children were children, whether they were commoners or nobles, she would protect them with her life.

"Now, are you ready?" Julius asked, pulling Lucia from her thoughts.

The group of rookies straightened up and slammed their hands against the left sides of their chests, fingers outstretched in their kingdom's traditional salute. "Yes sir!" They chorused.

"Then you will depart immediately!" The Gray Deer captain nodded and the group, including the three intermediate Magic Knights, made their way towards the exit. "I look forward to hearing your reports when you return, now do our squad, and the Clover Kingdom, proud!"

The moment the group left the building and made their way towards their already waiting brooms, Lucia heard several of the other rookies complaining about the mission, and her ears perked. "I can't believe our first mission is in the Common Realm..." One complained, a man with long, blonde hair and a regal air around him.

"I know what you mean..." Another said, a woman with short brown hair and glasses. "I expected something a little more extravagant for our first mission, you know, since we're in the best Magic Knight squad lead by the future Wizard King!"

Lucia scoffed at their complaints and positioned herself atop her broom, muttering sharply under her breath. "Imbeciles."

"Yeah, gotta agree with you there."

Lucia yelped and nearly fell off her broom, snapping her head to the side to see Dante stood beside her, ruffling his red hair as he pouted at the other rookies, who set off before them. "They'll soon learn how hard any job is when you're part of the Gray Deer squad. Just 'cause we're the best, doesn't mean the work's easy!"

The icy noble sneered at his remarks and lifted herself and the broom off the ground, looking down her nose at him. "What gives you the right to eavesdrop on my musings? Perhaps your comments should be kept hidden unless I ask for them, hm?"

"It's not like you're good at hiding how much you hate others, y'know!" Dante argued back, getting on his broom as Roark and Celeana watched awkwardly behind them. "Either way, you're not as subtle as you think, so why don't _you_ keep your comments to yourself?"

"Like I would take orders from someone so...Crass."

Dante rolled his eyes as he flew alongside Lucia, the entire group now heading towards the Common Realm to begin their mission. "What's your problem anyway? Do you just have a stick up your ass, or do you actually hate everyone?!" He then shook his head. "Actually, scratch that! Why did you call them 'imbeciles' for hating their mission when you hate commoners yourself?"

Lucia faltered in her flight, now falling behind the group as Dante came to a stop too and looked back at her, confused and annoyed all at once. After a second, she shook her head and huffed, flying past the confused commoner, who followed behind her. "A job is a job. Just because I dislike commoners and question whether they're worth saving, doesn't mean I won't take any mission given to me seriously. They're imbeciles for complaining about the very work they signed up for..." She grumbled. "Besides..." She paused and shook her head a second time before she sped up, now flying ahead of the others to avoid any more conversation.

"Well, that was something..." Celeana pointed out when a moment of silence had passed.

"Yeah..." Dante muttered, watching as she kept up her pace, ignoring the comments her fellow rookies made. Despite his nature, he was pretty good at reading people, and something about Lucia's statement just did not seem to add up.

He had a feeling there was more to her reasons than she was letting on.

~CR~

The group arrived as the sun began to set, and the sight that met them was one they would not soon forget. The buildings were damaged and ransacked to the point where even a homeless individual would consider them impossible to live in. All the people who called Heicairo their home were out on the streets, searching through the rubble to find their valuables, the ones that had not been taken. While the children of the town were clinging to their parents' legs, crying in fear of what would come next.

Slowly the group of Magic Knights flew down and landed on the outskirts of the town, and stepped off their brooms, shocked by the sight they were met with. Lucia felt her own heart ache for all the terrified children, but out of the eight other people who accompanied her, she was the only one with a steeled expression. "Jeez, this is worse than I thought..." Dante started, walking into the town as the others followed. "These bandits really did a number on this place."

"I'll head to the local church, see if anyone needs healing." Celeana stated, nodding to her fellow squad mates before she kicked off in a jog towards said church, which was in tatters as well.

Lucia's eyes narrowed, realizing that many of the children would seek refuge in the church, and she kicked off too, gripping her broom in a gloved fist. "I'm going with Celeana, if the bandits return, I can barricade the entrance with my magic."

Dante and Roark nodded, then turned to the others to give them their orders, which they seemed less than thrilled about. However, the two glanced back as Lucia caught up with Celeana and saluted, offering her aid, despite her sharp tongue only hours before. A smirk passed both their faces, and they turned back to continue their commands.

Meanwhile, as Celeana and Lucia neared the church, Lucia heard a young girl sob and turned to see her next to her saddened mother, who was doing her best to console her. Unable to take the sight of the crying girl, the icy noble deviated from her path, much to Celeana's surprise and walked over to the mother and child, crouching down before them. "Hey..." She started, her voice surprisingly soft compared to before. "Do you want to see something cool?"

The little girl hiccuped and looked up at Lucia, wiping her eyes with her chubby little fists.

The Flurris female smiled gentle and held out her palm. Slowly the particles of water in the air swirled around her hand and a shard of ice appeared in the center, floating gentle over her gloved skin. "What do you think?" She asked, her lips curling into a wider smile as the little girl's eyes lit up and she reached out to touch the ice. "Ah, ah!" She scolded softly, pulling her hand away to stop the girl from touching it. "This ice isn't safe to touch, Sweetie...But it's pretty, isn't it?"

The little girl nodded with glittery eyes as her mother smiled. "Wow, you're a Magic Knight, aren't you miss?" The child asked, innocently excited to see such a powerful mage.

Lucia laughed and nodded, crushing the shard in her hand, then opening her palm as glittery particles floated into the air and faded away. "Yep, though I'm still pretty new to the role...What's the matter? A little princess like you should not be crying so much, it'll hurt your eyes." She gentle wiped the tears from the girl's face, since her rubbing had made her eyes sore. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

The little girl's lip started to tremble and the mother sighed, hugging her daughter close as she looked at the concerned rookie. "Her favorite doll was taken by the bandits...It was a family heirloom passed down by my grandmother, to my mother, and so on, and because it isn't made anymore, it's worth a little bit of money...She loves that doll like a sister, and some cruel, heartless monster just snatched it right out of her hands then kicked her when she tried to get it back..."

Lucia's softened eyes widened as the mother recounted the tale, and she clenched her fists as her expression hardened in anger when she heard about the poor child being kicked. "Don't worry...It's my job to stop these people from hurting you anymore..." She ground out, trying to keep calm for the sake of the scared girl. Said child peeked out from her mother's hug, just as the icy noble saluted in a really cool way. "I will get your doll back, even if it costs me my life!"

The mother smiled gratefully as her daughter's eyes sparkled and she tackled the rookie mage in a tight hug, surprising the young adult as she nearly toppled over from the impact. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The girl cried out, happily sobbing her little heart out.

Lucia's surprise soon wore off and her soft smile returned, she gave the girl a tight hug in response. "You're welcome, Princess." She said, her heart melting as she carefully pulled away and stood up, giving the child a gentle wave before she turned to go back to the church.

The Dry-Ice Mage had every intention of seeing her promise through, she would capture each and every bandit that ransacked this village and get back that doll. No one made a child cry while she was around, and the sight of such a broken-hearted little girl motivated her to do her best and rescue Heicairo.

Celeana stood by the doors, smirking with her arms crossed as Lucia looked up from the ground and spotted her, blushing slightly from being caught. "Well, well...That was a sight to see!" She teased, getting a cold glare in response, which she just laughed off. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

The water mage watched as Lucia ignored her very existence and went into the church. However, despite that rather cold act of ignorance, Celeana could not ignore the small inkling of respect that settled within her. Lucia was far kinder than she let others believe, and she could not wait to see what she would do going forward.

What would she risk just to bring a smile back to that little girl's face?

~CR~

"Alright, does everyone know their roles? I'll go through it one last time, just so you're all clear on what you have to do."

As the night settled and the stars started to glitter above their heads, Lucia, the other rookies and the three intermediate knights sat around a table in the nearby inn. They were discussing their plans to stop the bandits once and for all, knowing they wouldn't be scared off by a group of knights, if they were already willing to do this much damage to a defenseless city. Roark was stood next to the table, using his rock magic to create a map of the surrounding area. On this map were small figurines made of water, all resembling them to a 'T' albeit in a chibi form, while the ones that depicted the bandits remained faceless.

Celeana, who had previously explained the plan, started to move the pieces once again, using her magic to slide the bandit figurines closer to the rocky town. "We're going to lure the bandits into the city by hiding away, while the townsfolk pretend we're not here...Once the bandits come out again-" She pushed three of the rookies towards the bandits, Lucia included. "You three will ambush them with your magic and catch them off guard, then-" She pushed the figurines of the intermediate knights along with the two other rookies towards the bandits. "My team will swoop in and apprehend them. Remember, only use extreme force if necessary, ideally we want to take the bandits alive, but if you're in serious danger, fatal force is allowed."

"Once that's done..." Dante started, standing up and rolling his shoulder as he held onto it with his other hand, ready to fight for the people. "We can get to work on returning the stolen items and rebuilding the village! Don't forget, we're a team..." He glanced at Lucia, who looked back with a scarily determined look in her cold, orange eyes. "If you're in trouble, don't hesitate to call for help, we won't let one of our own die in this fight, you got that?"

The other rookies saluted and agreed with the plan, while Lucia stared at the board for a moment, thinking about that child and her missing doll. Her eyes narrowed and she stood up, surprising everyone when she slammed her hand against her chest. "Yes, sir!"

There was no way she would let them get away with what they had done...She was a Magic Knight now, and no matter their status, she would protect them! Even if it meant taking orders from those she deemed lesser than herself.

Even if it cost her everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for reading, please review if you liked the chapter, it helps motivate me and inspires me to keep improving my craft!
> 
> I'll see you next chapter!


	4. A Sense of Respect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for the bandits to make themselves known, just how will Lucia and the rest of her squadmates handle the assault?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I do not own the Black Clover Franchise or any canon characters mentioned below.
> 
> I do own Lucia Flurris, and any other OCs mentioned.
> 
> WARNING: This story will contain death, violent, blood/gore, angst, loss, trauma and mentions of sexual themes.
> 
> Hey guys, I got inspired to write some more Black Clover, so here's chapter three! I was supposed to work on my Naruto story instead, but I did some writing for that on Friday, so I knew it wouldn't be too much of an issue if I did this story in my down time. (For those curious, I write whichever book I'm on once a week in a specific order to keep them all updated and relatively easy to manage.)
> 
> So yeah, enjoy the bonus chapter so soon after the last one!

The time was upon them.

After their meeting, the day came and went without any trouble as the people of Hecairo were made aware of the Magic Knights' plans to bring the bandits to their knees and preparations were made for their inevitable ambush. As the sun, which had once brightened up the sky, began to tint it a deep purple as it set behind the horizon, the people of the small town went about their business, acting as if the Magic Knights had never arrived and were not currently hiding away in some of the buildings near the entrance of the town. There was a sense of tension in the air as many of the knights hid in the shadows to avoid being spotted by their enemy.

Lucia stood in the darkened room of a closed bakery with the other four recruits in her squad, pressed firmly against the wall near a window to ensure she could clearly see a signal that would be given once the bandits arrived. She was well aware that in the church centering the town, hiding behind the podiums that surrounded the bell atop the church roof, were her superiors who were waiting with bated breath for the bandits to reveal themselves, so they could give the Ambush Squad the signal they needed to attack.

Not that they'd be much use, given the people she was forced to work with. It seemed the rest of her small squad were far more relaxed about the whole thing than she was. They stood in their own individual corners, scowling with crossed arms, like Lucia, only they were much louder. "I can't believe I finally joined the Magic Knights, and I'm stuck taking orders from commoners and protecting a town full of them!" The male of the group said, spitting to the side. "I wanted to meet the Wizard King... I can't do that where I am now!"

"I know what you mean..." A woman grumbled, irking Lucia a little with their idiotic ramblings. "I thought commoners couldn't join the Magic Knights, what the hell is Julius thinking?!"

"Exactly!" The other female said, sneering as her complaints grew in volume, which was mirrored by the others. "I bet he recruited them under the table, why else would they be part of his squad?! I knew I should've picked the Blue Rose Knights..."

And with that remark, Lucia spun around quickly, her lilac hair fluttering with the motion as she snarled at her allies. "Would you be quiet?!" She hissed sharply, glaring at each of them with her piercing, orange eyes. "We're in the middle of a mission, and you're foolish bickering is putting us all at risk! If you can't silence your pointless complaints, then you don't deserve to be Magic Knights at all!"

The silence that passed as the four other recruits in the room stared at her with slacked jaws would amaze anyone. However, Lucia merely huffed with a scowl and turned back to watch out of the window. "Wow..." The other man, who had remained quiet up to this point, mumbled; thankfully at a far lower volume. "Who needs winter when you got someone as cold as her around, eh?"

"Yeah, 'icy' is an understatement..." The loudest woman whispered.

Lucia knew their words were supposed to be insults, but she did not care. In fact, she took the 'icy' comment in stride, her magic literally revolved around a type of ice, so instead of spewing insults they were spewing facts. She did not join the Magic Knights to make friends, she joined to protect the next generation of Clover citizens from further harm. If they hated her for her words, then so be it.

Suddenly, a scream was heard, and Lucia tensed up while the others in her group froze in fear. A fireball shot into the air from the bell tower and she knew immediately that their time had come. "Ambush Squad, move out!" She roared, kicking off in a run before the others could fully acknowledge her command. As soon as she was out on the streets, she used her sharp icy shards to create horizontal stepping stones so she could ascend to the roof and analyse the situation.

The moment her foot hit the tiled roof of the bakery, her eyes widened and she watched as a blur of human figures flew towards them from the horizon on very dirty brooms. They jeered and howled as if their attacks were some sort of game, and many of the townsfolk ran into their homes to hide, screaming in fear of what was to come. Between her and the oncoming battle, stood the same mother as yesterday along with her young child, holding onto eachother as fear kept them fused in place. Lucia knew the bandits would bulldoze through them with no hesitation or conscience, as they had already made their malicious ways clear with the damage they had left last time they appeared.

Anger immediately rushed through the ice mage as she clicked her tongue and slipped her gas mask and goggles into place. She then slid down the opposite side of the roof before jumping down onto the ground, kicking off in a run towards the dozen, or so, bandits coming her way.

"What does she think she's doing?!" Celeana hissed, while Dante gritted his teeth and opened his grimoire. "Is she insane?! Who takes on a group of bandits alone!"

"Who cares?!" The redheaded knight asked, jumping down and sliding down the tiled roof of the church, much like Lucia had, raising his voice as he went so his equals could hear him. "We need to help her before she gets herself killed!"

Celeana and Roark looked at one another before they nodded and followed suit, with the other rookies rushing in behind them, clueless as ever.

Lucia stopped a good distance from the bandits, who laughed at her stupid attempt to stop them alone, assuming she was a resident of Hecairo, as she was too far away to really be recognized by the tiny insignia on her robe. With a flourish, the noble brought out her grimoire, which floated in front of her, and stopped at a well-used page. "Dry-Ice Magic..." She started, eyes widening as she thrust her hand out in front of her. "Shard Barrage!"

A rumble was heard beneath the Earth and the Magic Knights stopped in their advances, as the ground beneath them shook slightly. The bandits paid the sound no mind, unable to feel the vibrations from atop their brooms, as they laughed and mocked her for her foolish and useless spell. However, they had underestimated her, and that caused a smirk to tug at the young woman's lips.

Suddenly, a large stalagmite of ice burst out of the ground in front of the leader. "What the-?!" He cried out in shock, crashing straight into the pillar, only to scream when the chemical concoction it was created from began to burn his skin because of it's sheer cold surface. The other misfits began to panic as well and tried to stop their brooms before they crashed into the many other shards that burst forth, slowly creating a wall between them and the town.

The three intermediate mages watched in awe as her magical prowess became apparent to all of them. But the triumphant display would not last...

Due to her powerful and unpredictable mana, her control would falter as if for no reason and suddenly her smirk was wiped from her face when a smaller shard of ice tore through her foot. She froze as a sudden shock of pain ran through her body and she tensed up. Not wanting to show weakness to her enemies, she fought the urge to cry out, she gritted her teeth hard and looked down slowly at what had taken place. A smaller stalagmite of ice had torn clean through her right snow boot and had impaled her foot, leaving horrible burns on the exposed flesh both inside and outside of her body.

This left her defenses unfinished as the intense agony tore away her concentration and her spell stopped before the wall could be completed. The sudden halt left several large holes in her protective wall for the bandits to weave through and continue their attack.

The ones that had successfully dodged the barricade laughed manically as they flew straight for her, and she cursed, knowing she would not be able to stop them from getting her while she was pinned where she stood. Suddenly, a blur of red passed her, and she gasped, looking up to see Dante rushing towards the leftover bandits. "Great work, Lucia!" He called back to her as Roark sped past her as well, fists covered in his rocky magic. "We'll take it from here!"

"M-Ms. Knight!" The woman gasped behind her, both her and her child looking towards her foot as they trembled in fear, having remained quiet and still during their savior's impressive display. "Your foot...!"

Lucia smirked as she watched Dante and Roark take on the last of the misfits, bulldozing through them like they were nothing but specs of dust under their feet. "It's fine..." She said, confident that her fellow Magic Knights could handle it without her. "We're safe now."

The young mother watched Lucia for a moment, gauging her reaction before she smiled, nodding in acceptance. She then took her daughter's arm and ran with her into the nearest building for shelter, leaving the Flurris female to her thoughts.

The moment Dante praised her for her power, and leapt into battle as if their differences did not matter, was the moment she felt her first genuine sense of pride for their squad and for her decision to join the Magic Knights in the first place. She knew as long as they kept fighting by her side, commoner or not, she would never fall in battle.

Gritting her teeth, she grunted and yanked her foot out from the shard's hold, squeezing her eyes shut when a rush of blood left the injury, heating up her painfully cold wound. Without giving herself time to process the intense ache, she kicked off in a hobbled run towards the other knights, joining the other rookies, and her newly respected superiors in the fight against the enemy.

Dante was quick to capture as many bandits as he could with his fiery chains, while Roark subdued a few of them with his fists of hard stone. Celeana bubbled a couple in water, giving them just enough airspace to breathe, but nothing else, and the other knights all used their individual magical attributes to finish the wall Lucia had started. With the threat blocked off, they listened as the last few criminals hit the barrier and cried out as they fell to the ground, signalling the end of the fight.

The noble took a second to catch her breath. "We did it...!" Lucia gasped, stumbling back with her grimoire open as she and the others relaxed a little. "We actually-"

A sudden 'whack' was heard on the other side of the wall and all of the rookies, even Lucia, gasped and swallowed hard as the sound continued rhythmically. Dante's eyes widened and he spun around, swiping his hand out. "Fall back!"

With those words, the newer knights panicked and cried out as they ran back to avoid whatever danger they were about to face, all except Lucia, who's expression turned ice-cold as she prepared herself for whatever would break through her barricade. "Lucia, what are you doing?!" Celeana hissed, glancing back at the stubborn noble. "Go!"

"No!" She snapped back, wincing as she dug her injured foot into the ground to stay firm, despite the small tremors coming from the strikes against the ice. "I will not abandon my post, I will protect the children of this town, even if it costs me my life!"

The three intermediate knights looked back at her in surprise for a moment, before a sudden crack was heard, capturing their full attention. With another heavy hit, the ice finally broke, and the leader of the bandits stepped forward, his fists covered in a dark aura, along with bloody burns. "Heh, you really think weak magic like that would take me down?" He sneered, instantly recognized by everyone left on the battlefield.

Umber, the dark-magic user who failed the Magic Knights exam seven times, then turned to a life of crime. He was wanted for several thefts and the murders of three civilians along with two knights. Fear shot through Lucia's spine and she shuddered, stepping back as she realized just how dangerous the situation had become.

"Don't you dare!" Dante called out, looking back at her with an intense heat of determination burning behind his eyes. His expression, mixed with his sudden shout, caused the noble to freeze in her tracks. "If you really want to protect those kids, then prove it!"

His words hit home for her, and the ice mage swallowed her fear, before she steeled her resolve and prepared herself for battle. "Yes, sir!"

Umber let out a rather deranged laugh as he gripped his dirty black hair, tears filling his eyes as his lunged ached from his apparent amusement. "You Magic Knights really are something else!" He taunted, getting into a fighting stance as his grin widened to an almost insane and twisted expression. "Come on then! Let's see what you're made of!"

Dante gritted his teeth as he created balls of fire, shooting them at Umber with all the power he could muster. The dark magic monster merely scoffed at his attempt as he slammed his fists together, creating a black void in front of him that swallowed every single projectile with no issues before shooting straight at Dante, sending him hurtling back with a cry. Roark rushed around and behind the enemy, jumping into the air to land a devastating stone punch, but Umber was quicker, he spun around and caught Roark's magical fist, using the dark magic to tear off his own magic and destroy it, before he threw the rock mage over his shoulder, sending him flying into a nearby wall. Celeana cursed, creating a bubble of water beneath her feet, she then flew up high and created a large waterfall that fell straight onto their opponent, keeping him pinned under the crushing pressure of the attack.

"Is that all you've got?!" Came the garbled reply from beneath the wave, before a void appeared and sucked all the water from around Celeana, including her floating bubble. The water user let out a cry as she fell to the ground, hitting it hard enough to cause her some serious injury. Umber cracked his neck and sighed, looking at the three of them like they were nothing. "Pathetic, here I was hoping for a good fight..." He muttered.

Lucia stared at the scene in horror as the only remaining bandit straightened his back and started walking towards her. Fearing for her life, she created some small shards that did not involve the use of her grimoire and shot them at the large man heading her way, who quickly swallowed them up with his magic. "You're a noble, right?" He asked, arching a thick brow as his insane eyes locked onto her, giving her a true sense of dread. "Hah! You're weak, whatever magic you've got, it's nothing compared to mine, and I'll kill you here so you can't disappoint anyone with your pathetic spells ever again!"

The previously composed knight shuddered in fear and stumbled back another step, trying to keep some distance between herself and the man in front of her. She could not believe that her story would end like this, wiped away like a speck of dirt in history, not even a full week into her life as a Magic Knight. He was right, she was weak and pathetic, and at her current level, she had no hopes of protecting the people of Hecairo.

She could not even protect her own teammates.

_"I will get your doll back, even if it costs me my life!"_

The lilac-haired noble's eyes widened as she thought back to her promise to that little girl she had just saved. How her eyes had brightened after her determined vow and how much her smile had warmed Lucia's cold heart. Upon remembering her promise, Dante's words echoed through her fearful mind.

_"If you really want to protect those kids, then prove it!"_

Lucia gritted her teeth and she straightened up, hand hovering over her grimoire as she prepared to fight to the death, her fear still very apparent as she let out a shaky breath, but she would not run... not now, not ever. "I am not a noble! I am a Magic Knight!" She stated proudly, yanking off her gas mask to show her half-scarred face. "I will not be defeated by the likes of you! Nor will I allow you to hurt my squad mates anymore!"

Umber paused in his advances, looking a little dumbstruck for a moment before he burst into a fit of laughter. "You think you're so tough?" He asked, opening his own grimoire, which was dark purple with dead vines wrapped around its exterior. "Go on then! Show me what you've got, little girl!"

"My name is Lucia Flurris, and you will not terrorize these people anymore!" She thrust her hand out and watched with a stoic, determined glare as her stalagmites of ice erupted from the ground, making their way towards Umber with perfect control, unlike her prior attack.

The large dark-magic user merely laughed and hit each of the shards with his fists as they grew too close. He then made his own dark orbs appear, shooting them at her. She quickly created a wall of stalagmites to block the blows. However they ripped through her attacks like they were paper, hitting her point-blank with little resistance, causing the dust and dirt surrounding her to hide her form from the impact of the assault, leaving only her pained cries behind.

As the dust settled, Lucia stood there, holding her arm as blood trickled from a deep gash just below her shoulder and busted lip. She looked at him stubbornly and her grimoire lifted again, sending another barrage of ice towards her enemy, who did the same thing as before, breaking them down one by one until the attack came to a stop. "Your attacks are pointless!" The bandit leader taunted, creating even more orbs, before shooting them at the helpless mage who, once again, tried to block only to be brutally injured as her shield failed to protect her. "I can't believe someone as tiny as you came from nobility!" He did not even wait for the dust to settle as he shot even more projectiles at her, listening to her cries with a sadistic grin plastered across his lips. "It'd be a blessing to get rid of you once and for all!"

With those words, he let out a roar as a larger series of orbs appeared above him, while Lucia laid on the ground, a few hundred yards back from where she had started. She lifted her head with what little strength she had left and watched the attack charge with her single open eye, the other sealed shut with a darkened bruise. She knew that she would not survive another attack, and her ice was nothing against his void-like spells.

The giant orbs shot towards her, and Lucia could do nothing but squeeze her eyes shut, waiting for the final blow to connect, ending her dreams before they had even started.

However, a sudden crash was heard and she gasped, opening her eyes to see a rock wall in front of her, taking the attack head on without any trouble, unlike her own magic. She looked behind her as Roark stumbled out of the building he had been trapped him, holding his grimoire open with his hand outstretched, palm pointing towards her. Then, without warning, a bubble of water appeared around the injured noble, lifting her from the battlefield. Lucia, surprised by the sudden spell, held her breath in panic. Of course after a moment, she could not bear it anymore and gasped for air, only to pause when she realized she could breathe. The bubble floated to Celeana's side as the woman got to her feet, glaring at Umber alongside Roark.

"You know what...?"

Lucia's eyes widened as she snapped her head in the direction of the voice. Dante, who had taken the enemy's strongest attack head on, staggered from the town he had been thrown towards, injured far more than any of the others as blood tricked from his head down to his chin, dripping onto the ground below. Flames swirled around his surprisingly slim frame, licking at the air around him as he glared holes into Umber's ugly mug. His snarl twisted into a grin and he switched his gaze to Lucia, who watched him with a soft shock written across her features. "You might be a pain in the ass to talk to..." He said, the flames around him swirling upwards like a tornado, moving faster and faster with each breath he took. "But you've got guts, and a good heart... I like people like you!"

Then, in less than a second, the fire mage shot forward towards Umber, who quickly created an orb to fire at Dante's speeding form. However, the intermediate knight laughed as he spun in the air, evading the attack with little issue. The flames that surrounding his form paused in their swirling motions as he stopped in the air, straightening up before he thrust his palms forward. "Flame Magic: Infernal Vortex!"

The fires that he commanded suddenly tightened into a spinning point as Dante sent them flying towards Umber, who cried out as the flames engulfed him. After a second, the embers were sucked into another dark-magic void and Umber staggered forward, stopping himself from falling as he stood there, littered with intense burns. "You'll pay for that...!" He snarled through gritted teeth.

"Not while I'm around!" Celeana called out, pointing her hand at him. "Water Magic: Crushing Wave!" A large torrent of water swirled around the experienced mage for a moment before it rushed straight for their enemy, swallowing him in heavy, brutal current that swirled around in one spot, leaving him pinned in the center due to the pressure of the whirlpool. "Now it's your turn, Roark!"

Suddenly, the hulking giant who barely spoke a word, dove into the air with a fist twice its usual size made of stone, features matching the element of his magic, save for his eyes, which were wide and filled with a desire to protect his friends. "Rock Magic: Heavy-duty Hammer!" With those loud, surprising words, he slammed his fist into the trapped and dazed bandit's head, slamming him deep into the ground.

Roark landed a small distance from the crater he created and the four watched with bated breath as the dust from the impact began to clear. "... you bastards...!" A shadow appeared in the smog, still standing, but very injured. As the dust finally settled, wide, insane eyes met their horrified ones as he gripped his broken arm. "I'll kill you all, and everyone in that village too!"

Lucia's eyes widened as the others felt the same fear she felt before.

"I'll kill everyone here!" Umber continued to rant, creating as large an orb from his magic as he could, one that would easily wipe out the town if it was released. "The men, the women, even the goddamn children-"

A sickening squelch was heard and Umber froze, mid-sentence. He slowly looked down and sticking out of his torso was a large shard of dry-ice. He shakily moved his gaze to the bubble under Celeana's control and inside he saw the fury stricken face of the Flurris family's eldest daughter. "You will not harm the children while I still breathe..." She ground out, her palm pointing towards him. "Not now..." She clenched her fist shut and the man cried out as the shard of ice exploded, leaving fragments all over his body, burning into his skin slowly and painfully as he dropped to the ground, unconscious at long last. "Not ever..."

Any bandits that had not been injured too badly watched in horror at the sight of their leader near death's cold door. Panic swam through them and they screamed and cried, turning and running towards the forest they had previously emerged from.

The rookies that had fled in fear, finally appeared, running past the four injured knights as they made themselves useful, capturing any criminals that tried to escape, as well as restraining the ones that had not yet recovered. With the weight of the battle now gone, all three of the intermediate mages sighed with relief and dropped to their knees, Celeana accidentally cancelling her bubble spell in the process. She all but jumped back when she heard a slight shriek and the poor noble landed on her backside to her left. "Oh..." She breathed, a blush washing across her dark skin as Lucia glared at her, rubbing her backside as it stung from the landing. "Sorry."

The lilac-haired individual sighed and stood up, limping her way towards the restrained leader, who was currently being healed. He would not pay for his crimes if he died, after all. Once she got to his side, she crouched down and rummaged through his belongings, her intense frown softening into a relieved smile as she pulled a doll out of his satchel, gems of small value stitched into its eyes.

"What've you got there?"

It was Lucia's turn to jump out of her skin as she spun around to see Dante hovering over her, holding his arm as a curious pout covered his features. The noblewoman blushed slightly and hid her smile behind a cold mask of indifference. "Nothing...Just a child's doll." She said, showing it to him. "The bandits took it because of the jewels in its eyes...I promised I'd return it."

The active redhead hummed and tilted his head to the side, causing the woman to scoff and look away, glaring at the floor. His pout turned into a smile and he nodded. "Alright then, get yourself healed up and give that girl her doll back, tell her the bandits won't cause them anymore trouble."

Lucia looked at him, surprised he had not given her a hard time for her foolish actions, or her attitude when speaking to him. However, despite her shock, she stood up and saluted. "Yes, Sir!" With that, she hobbled her way over to the other rookies, one of which happened to specialize in healing spells. The redhead watched her go with an exasperated smile, knowing she would be a handful, but slightly interested in how she would grow moving forward.

Neither side would outright admit it, but their respect for the other bloomed in that fight, and regardless of their backgrounds, they knew deep down, that even in the darkest of battles, they would have each other's backs.

Because that's what being a Magic Knight was all about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Oof, Lucia's first battle was a nightmare to write, but so, SO much fun too!
> 
> Please review, any comments and suggestions for improvement given are inspiration for me and make my life as a writer so much more fun and wonderful! Thank you all so much!


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